From Simple to Sensational
- Web 1.0 (1990s): Static web pages share info, but interaction is rudimentary.
- Web 2.0 (2000s): Users become creators – think social media and dynamic websites
- Web 3.0 (Semantic Web): Data becomes smarter, helping computers understand and connect dots.
- Web 4.0 (IoT and AI): The internet embraces smart devices and sophisticated AI, transforming how we interact.
In 1989, Tim Burners-Lee proposed the concept of a global hypertext space, where all accessible information on the network would be identified by a single Universal Document Identifier (UDI). The fundamental vision of the web was to establish a shared space for information exchange.
During the era of Web 1.0, the internet primarily served as a read-only platform. This version of the web was static and somewhat unidirectional in nature.
Businesses utilized the web to showcase their products and services through catalogs and brochures, while users could access and consume this content.
These digital catalogs and brochures were reminiscent of traditional advertisements seen in newspapers and magazines.
Many e-commerce website owners integrated various forms of shopping cart applications. These websites predominantly consisted of static HTML pages that received infrequent updates.
Their primary objective was to disseminate information to a wide audience, establishing an online presence. Interactivity was limited, rendering these websites akin to digital brochures.
Users and visitors to international websites were passive consumers, lacking meaningful engagement or opportunities for contribution.
The linking structure between websites was also relatively weak. The foundational protocols of Web 1.0 included HTTP, HTML, and URI.
In 2004, Dale Dougherty, the vice-president of O’Reilly Media, officially coined the term "web 2.0" during a collaborative brainstorming session between O'Reilly and MediaLive International. Tim O’Reilly's definition of web 2.0, available on his website, encapsulates the concept as:
"Web 2.0 is the revolutionary shift in the computer industry triggered by the transition to the internet as a platform. It represents an endeavor to comprehend the principles that govern success on this novel platform. Foremost among these principles is the notion of constructing applications that leverage network effects, improving with greater user engagement."
Web 2.0, also recognized as the wisdom web, people-centric web, participative web, and read-write web, signified a departure towards interactivity in
both consuming and generating content. This advancement paved the way for a two-way flow of information. Web 2.0 operated as a platform that permitted
users to relinquish many of the constraints prevalent in the Web 1.0 environment. In essence, users of web 2.0 enjoyed heightened interaction while
experiencing diminished control. It's essential to note that web 2.0 transcended being a mere iteration of web 1.0. This phase brought about features
such as adaptable web design, imaginative content recycling, real-time updates, and collaborative content generation and modification.
A noteworthy characteristic of web 2.0 was its emphasis on fostering collaboration and aggregating collective knowledge—a significant departure from the ethos of web 1.0.
In 2006, John Markoff of the New York Times introduced the concept of "web 3.0" as the third generation of the web.
The core concept underpinning web 3.0 revolves around organizing structured data and establishing connections to enhance the effectiveness of discovery,
automation, integration, and reuse across diverse applications. Web 3.0 aims to seamlessly link, integrate, and analyze data from various datasets,
thereby generating novel streams of information. Its capabilities extend to refining data management, facilitating mobile internet accessibility,
fostering creativity and innovation, catalyzing globalization phenomena, heightening customer satisfaction,
and promoting collaborative endeavors within the social web.
Web 3.0 is commonly referred to as the semantic web. Tim Berners-Lee, the creator of the World Wide Web, conceived the idea of the semantic web.
A dedicated team within the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) is actively engaged in refining, extending, and standardizing this system.
Multiple languages, publications, and tools have already been developed in pursuit of this goal.
The semantic web is designed to present information in a manner comprehensible to computers.
Its primary objective is to render the web machine-readable, transcending its accessibility solely by humans.
The semantic web embodies the aspiration to imbue the web with a level of meaning that machines can comprehend and interpret.
Web 4.0 remains an evolving concept without a definitive definition, existing in the realm of ongoing development.
It is often referred to as the symbiotic web, centered around fostering a harmonious interaction between humans and machines.
The overarching vision of the symbiotic web is to establish a state of symbiosis, enabling a profound level of collaboration between
humans and machines. Within this paradigm, the potential arises for the creation of advanced interfaces, including those controlled
by human thought, thus leveraging the capabilities of web 4.0. In essence, machines will possess an increased adeptness
at comprehending web content, reacting by executing actions and making decisions aimed at enhancing website loading speed,
quality, and overall performance. This evolution paves the way for the emergence of more sophisticated and commanding interfaces.
Web 4.0 is envisioned as a read-write-execution-concurrency web.
It strives to attain a critical mass of participation across online networks, thereby fostering global transparency, governance, distribution,
and collaboration within pivotal communities like industry, politics, and social spheres. Referred to as webOS,
Web 4.0 is likened to middleware with functionalities akin to an operating system. This webOS envisions a parallelism with the human brain,
forming an intricate network of highly intelligent interactions.
Although specifics about the exact nature of web 4.0 and its technological aspects remain uncertain, a clear trend is evident:
the evolution of the web toward the integration of artificial intelligence, leading to its transformation into an intelligent and responsive web.